Haggard Boxcar Music Festival

Right? Cheers to 2021! #boxcar2021 #haggardboxcarmusicfest #haggard

We didn’t get to see Brian Whelan on stage this year, hopefully we can still have him with us in 2021. If you don’t know he was a long time band member and lead guitarist for Dwight Yoakam and he’s an all around cool guy! He dropped a new single today. You can hear it on Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play! We love it!... Let us know what you think!

We are saddened to hear about the loss of another great country music icon! Fuzzy Owen was Merle Haggard’s long time friend and manager for many decades. We had the pleasure of having him at last year’s Haggard Boxcar Music Festival and he was going to be joining us this year too. We were truly privileged to know him. The Bakersfield Sound is playing loud in Heaven today! ... May He Rest In Peace! Fuzzy with Ben Haggard and Noel Haggard at Haggard Boxcar Music Festival 2019.

RIP John Prine!

Another legendary artist gone! We are saddened to hear the news. Rest In Peace

Nothing but Merle. Sounds good to us!

Happy Birthday Merle! Thanks for the beautiful songs and all the memories. Country Music wouldn’t be the same without you. Post a memory of you have of Merle. Maybe you met him or maybe a memory of how his music touched your life. Let’s honor him today!... The great Merle Haggard in 1971 PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS #happybirthday #merlehaggard

We wanted to write a birthday tribute to Merle today, but Steven Mayer from The Bakersfield Californian said everything we’d want to say and more! So we’re sharing his post along with an article written four years ago. Thanks Merle for all the memories! ... Four years ago today, the day Merle Haggard died on his 79th birthday, I went to the Kern County Museum to talk to fans and friends who were bringing flowers, songs and stories to Merle’s childhood boxcar home. A conversation there with Merle’s longtime friend Raymond McDonald inspired this strange yet touching ending to the story: As the shrine of flowers and handwritten notes grew larger at the Kern County Museum, Haggard’s friend McDonald recalled the singer telling him about a dream. He came in and said, ‘Ray, I don’t dream much, but I had a dream. I dreamed that I died.’ Haggard told his friend that in the dream he was in an empty room lying on a stone slab. A woman dressed as a nurse appears, and he sees his long-dead father in the doorway. I believe I’ve died, he tells the nurse, who apparently confirmed his diagnosis. According to McDonald, Merle’s father then tells his son, You’re late. Late for what? Merle asks. A concert, his father explains. Who’s playing? Merle asks. His father pauses. And probably smiles. Jimmie Rodgers, Lefty Frizzell ... and YOU. McDonald said he believes his old friend is now enjoying just such a musical jam with the musical heroes of his youth. Said McDonald, He’s got that going on right now. And it sounds heavenly.

Just might have to watch this! We think you might too!

Agreed!! . . . #haggard #thehag #legend #classiccountry #bakersfieldsound #boxcar2020 #haggardboxcarmusicfest #countrymusic #bakersfield #merlehaggard

Tune into CBS for ACM Presents: Our Country, an entertainment experience featuring at-home acoustic performances from your favorite country stars alongside clips of top moments from the Academy’s 55-year history! The special will broadcast April 5 @ 8/7C on CBS. #ACMOurCountry... #countrymusic See more